What Causes a Clogged Garbage Disposal?

By
Douglas Orr Plumbing Inc.
|July 21, 2015

Garbage disposals are essential to homes. They make cleaning up after cooking or after meals way more convenient by allowing us to dispose food scraps easily. However, since these appliances are exposed to a wide variety of substances, they are also vulnerable to clogs. One day, you’ll discover that it’s already blocked and won’t drain properly. Though it’s not difficult to unclog garbage disposal systems, believe us when we say that prevention is still better than cure. And to prevent blockage, you must also know what causes such an issue. Here are some culprits of garbage disposal clogging!

1. Inadequate Water When Flushing

If the garbage disposal is not using enough water when it’s grinding stuff, it will eventually clog. Inadequate water will make it difficult for the appliance to flush away the waste materials or food scraps that it has ground. And when that happens, the waste substances will just accumulate inside the appliance or inside the drain pipe which will, later on, produce clogs.

2. Potato Peels

Potato peels are among the most popular culprits of clogged garbage disposal systems. These things create a starchy paste (like that in mashed potatoes) that stick to the drain pipes and clog the system. Unfortunately, that’s the truth. Some homeowners say that they’ve been grinding potato peels in their systems for such a long time already and nothing’s happened yet. It may be inconvenient for you to not grind the peels in the machine but we believe that disposing of these things another way is better than having a clogged plumbing appliance and drainpipe.

3. Egg Shells And Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds and egg shells are also bad for your garbage disposal system. When you grind these, they will be broken into very small pieces like granules and these can stick to the pipe, too. They can even get into the small spaces inside your garbage disposal and cause the appliance to jam.

4. Banana Peels

Banana peels are not an exception. Just like potato peels, they are bad for your garbage disposal, too. While potato peels form a sticky, starchy paste, banana peels are stringy which means they can also stick to the walls of the drain pipe and stay there. If they are not removed immediately, they will absolutely create blockages.

OTHER STUFF THAT MAY CLOG YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL

There are other things that you should not grind in your garbage disposal. These include:

1. Other stringy vegetable peels such as celery, lettuce, and asparagus